The invention relates generally to an attachment to a roof rack placed on top of a vehicle, and more particularly to an articulating, sliding roof rack that may be lowered for easy loading.
Roof racks are commonly used on top of many vehicles. The roof racks increase the storage capacity or carrying capacity of vehicles by permitting placement of articles on top of the roof of a vehicle. Roof racks have been designed to hold a great variety of different articles. For example, skis, canoes, kayaks, windsurfers, surfboards, small boats, and generally any other article that can conveniently be loaded onto the roof rack of a car or vehicle. With the popularity of sport utility vehicles and their use in many recreational activities, the use of roof racks has increased. However, most sport utility vehicles are relatively high, making roof racks difficult to access and load. While there have been many roof racks or roof loading mechanisms, few are simple and easy to load. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,207 entitled xe2x80x9cVehicle Top Carrierxe2x80x9d issuing to Frank on Sep. 20, 1994, discloses a vehicle top carrier having a pivoted connection permitting a drawer to hang down vertically.
Another roof rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,150 entitled xe2x80x9cRoof Rack For Vehiclesxe2x80x9d issuing to Praz on Nov. 1, 1994. Therein disclosed is a mechanism for extension permitting the lowering of the extension laterally of the car in order to permit easy manipulations of all types of loads. During lowering, the surface of manipulation remains horizontal.
Another vehicle top carrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,831 entitled xe2x80x9cTip Down Vehicle Top Carrierxe2x80x9d issuing to Spratt on Oct. 7, 1997. Therein disclosed is a carrier having a roller platform that, when extended with a full load, will gradually tip down.
Another roof rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,391 entitled xe2x80x9cVehicle Roof Rack Loading Mechanismxe2x80x9d issuing to Cretcher on Jul. 21, 1998. Therein disclosed is a roof rack loading mechanism that may be retrofitted to an existing roof rack system, and tilts down for easy loading.
While all of these roof racks have helped to make the loading of a car or vehicle easier, they are also relatively complicated designs and require extending a portion of the rack laterally far beyond the sides of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is often difficult to deploy and load these racks when the vehicle is parked next to another vehicle, as is often encountered in a parking lot. Therefore, there is a need for an improved roof rack mechanism that can be more easily deployed and is easy to use and manufacture.
The present invention is directed to a roof rack that slides away from the vehicle and articulates downward for easy loading. In one embodiment, the roof rack comprises a track mounted to a tower placed upon the roof of a vehicle. A wheel plate slides in the track. The wheel plate has an upper and lower arm pivotally connected thereto. The wheel plate is guided by the track and the upper and lower arm can be extended laterally and pivoted down adjacent the vehicle for easy loading. A conventional article holding device is mounted on the upper arm.
In another embodiment, an angularly fixed slide moves horizontally on a track with a movable slide guide pivoting downward attached to the angularly fixed slide. A slide extends from the movable slide guide permitting further extension of an attached cover having a conventional holding device thereon. In this second embodiment, the angularly fixed slide permits the movable slide guide to extend a first distance laterally from the vehicle before pivoting downward. Upon pivoting downward, the slide extends from the movable slide guide a second distance. This embodiment has the advantage that the articulating and sliding roof rack is laterally moved and lowered in a relatively short distance, such as that between adjacent parked cars or other vehicles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a roof rack that is easily lowered and loaded.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the roof rack may be lowered for loading in a relatively small space, such as that between parked vehicles.
It is a feature of the present invention that a movable slide extends once a portion of the roof rack is angled downward.
These and other objects, advantages, and features will become readily apparent in view of the following detailed description.